The high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) is a compact audio/video connector interface for transmitting uncompressed digital streams. The HDMI connects a digital multimedia (or audio/video) source (e.g., a set-top box, a DVD player, a personal computer, a video game console, etc.) to a compatible digital sink, such as a digital television. The HDMI is fully described in the “HDMI Specification”, version 1.4a published on Mar. 4, 2010, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety merely for the useful understanding of the background of the invention.
A HDMI cable is a transport medium including three transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS®) channels utilized to transfer video, audio, and auxiliary data encapsulated in TDMS characters; the transmission is synchronized using a high-frequency clock signal running over a clock channel. The TDMS and clock channels are differential pairs. A HDMI cable also includes the following channels: a display data channel (DDC_SCL and DDC_SDA), a consumer electronics control (CEC), and a hot-plug detect (HPD) signal which originates at the sink. The HDMI interface is implemented using a HDMI cable and connectors, each of which includes 19 pins. A source and a sink connector have the same configuration. Table 1 lists the pins in a type A HDMI connector (either a source or sink).
TABLE 1Pin NumberHDMI Signal 1.TMDS_Data2+ 2.Shield 3.TMDS_Data2− 4.TMDS_Data1+ 5.Shield 6.TMDS_Data1− 7.TMDS_Data0+ 8.Shield 9.TMDS_Data0−10.TMDS_Clk+11.Shield12.TMDS_Clk−13.CEC14.Utility/HEAC+15.SCL16.SDA17.DDC/CEC/Ground18.+5V19.HPD/HEAC−
DisplayPort™ is a standard that defines a digital display interface of a new digital audio/video interconnect. The DisplayPort is intended to be used primarily between a computer and its display monitor, or a computer and a home-theater system. The DisplayPort standard is fully described in the “DisplayPort Specification” version 1.2, published on Jan. 5, 2010, by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety merely for the useful understanding of the background of the invention.
Transport channels of a DisplayPort interface include a main link, an auxiliary channel (AUX), and a hot plug detect (HPD). The main link is a unidirectional channel that allows data transfers over up to 4 lanes that carry clock signals in addition to the video/audio streams. Each lane is an AC-coupled differential pair. The auxiliary channel is a bi-directional half-duplex channel that carries control and management information and the HPD channel is used by a sink device to interrupt a source device when a plug is connected or disconnected. The DisplayPort interface is facilitated using a proprietary cable and connectors, each of which includes 20 pins. The DisplayPort cable is a cross cable, i.e., each of the source and sink connectors has a different configuration. Table 2 lists the pins and their signals of source and sink DisplayPort connectors.
TABLE 2Pin NumberDisplayPort SourceDisplayPort Sink 1.ML_lane0PML_lane3N 2.GNDGND 3.ML_lane0NML_lane3P 4.ML_lane1PML_lane2N 5.GNDGND 6.ML_lane1NML_lane2P 7.ML_lane2PML_lane1N 8.GNDGND 9.ML_lane2NML_lane1P10.ML_lane3PML_lane0N11.GNDGND12.ML_lane3NML_lane0P13.Config1Config114.Config2Config215.AUX_CHPAUX_CHP16.GNDGND17.AUX_CHNAUX_CHN18.HPDHPD19.ReturnReturn20.AUX_PWRAUX_PWR
Digital Interactive Interface for Video & Audio (DiiVA™) is a standard that supports an interface for interactive consumer electronics and home networking. The DiiVA combines a reliable high-speed, bi-directional data channel in addition to an uncompressed video and audio channel over a single interface. The DiiVA interface allows users to connect, configure, and control various home consumer electronic devices (e.g., Blueray player, a game console, etc.) from their Digital TVs. The DiiVA is primarily intended to be used for connectivity of consumer electronic devices in the home. The DiiVA standard is fully described in the “DiiVA Specification Release Candidate”, version 1.1 published on Oct. 5, 2010, by the China Video Industry Association, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety merely for the useful understanding of the background of the invention.
Transport channels of a DiiVA interface include a main link and a hybrid link. The main link is a unidirectional channel that allows data transfers over 3 lanes that carry clock signals in addition to the video streams. Each lane is an AC-coupled differential pair. The hybrid channel is a bi-directional high speed channel that carries an audio packet, and a control and data packet, such as Ethernet and USB, over both the video and hybrid channels. DiiVA includes a Power over DiiVA (PoD) mechanism that enables a device-to-device charging power. The DiiVA interface is facilitated using a standard twisted pair cable, such as a CAT6, CAT 6A and CAT 7 and DiiVA specific connectors. Each DiiVA connector includes 13 pins. A source and sink connector have the same configuration. Table 3 lists pins in a type A DiiVA connector (either a source or sink).
TABLE 3Pin NumberDiiVA Source 1.GND 2.VL2+ 3.VL2− 4.GND 5.VL1+ 6.VL1_ 7.GND 8.VL0+ 9.VL0−10.GND11.GND12.HL+13.HL−
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard was designed to establish communication between devices and a host controller of a PC. The USB can connect computer peripherals, such as mice, keyboards, digital cameras, printers, personal media players, flash drives, network adapters, external hard drives, and the like. The USB was designed for personal computers, but it has become commonplace on handheld devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs, tablet computers, camcorders, and video game consoles. The USB can also serve as a power cord for charging such devices. For many types of handheld devices, the USB has become the only standard interface. The USB2 standard for Low speed (1.5 Mbps), Full Speed (12 Mbps) and High speed (480 Mbps) over D± is described in the USB2.0 Specification Revision 2.0 published Apr. 27, 2000. The USB3 standard defines a Super Speed (5 Gbps) mode over USB2. The USB3 is fully described in the “USB 3.0 Specification” revision 1.0, published on Nov. 12, 2008. The specifications of the USB2 and USB3 standards are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety merely for the useful understanding of the background of the invention.
There are several types of USB connectors; the most common are Standard-A plugs and receptacles. The data connectors in the Standard-A plug are recessed in the plug as compared to the outside power connectors. This permits the power to connect first, thus preventing data errors by allowing the device to power up first and then transfer data. The pinout of a Standard-A plug and receptacle as defined in the USB 3.0 specification is detailed in Table 4.
TABLE 4Pin NumberPin NameFunction 1.VBUSPower 2.D−USB 2 Diff pair 3.D+ 4.GNDGround for power return 5.StdA_SSRX−Super speed RX diff pair 6.StdA_SSRX+ 7.GND_DrainGround for signal return 8.StdA_SSTX−Super speed TX diff pair 9.StdA_SSTX+10.Shield
The USB specifications provide a 5V±5% supply on a single wire from which connected USB devices may draw power between the positive and negative bus power lines. A unit load is defined as 100 mA in USB 2.0 and 150 mA in USB3. A maximum of 5 unit loads (500 mA) can be drawn from a port in USB 2.0 and 6 unit loads in USB 3.0. A handheld device can draw a maximum of 1.8 A of current at 5.25V from a dedicated charging port.
Multimedia interfaces that allow dual connectivity of both HDMI and DisplayPort have been recently developed. Such interfaces can process data compliant with the HDMI and DisplayPort. An example for an interface that allows interoperability between HDMI and DisplayPort multimedia interfaces can be found in a co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/558,673 (hereinafter the '673 application), assigned to the common assignee and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety merely for the useful understanding of the background of the invention.
However, the multimedia interfaces, e.g., HDMI and DisplayPort cannot supply power for charging handheld devices. To enable power charging of such devices an additional USB connector is included in the handheld devices. The USB, as mentioned above, provides other functionality such as data transfers. However, the USB cannot support streaming of uncompressed video.
Therefore, in order to enable both streaming of video and power charging, a handheld device should be equipped with at least two connectors, e.g., a USB and a HDMI/DisplayPort, or any other power charging input and multimedia interface. However, this has certain drawbacks, for example, a handheld device having two connectors increases the complexity of the design and the cost of the device. In today's competitive market, this is a major disadvantage. In addition, streaming of video consumes a lot of power, thus quickly drains the battery of the device. As a result, streaming a movie from the handheld device to a TV, for example, would require charging the device's battery while streaming the data. Thus, a solution that would enable simultaneous power charging and data streaming through a single connector in handheld devices can provide greater flexibility and benefit to users of such devices.